


On The Trail

by Tarlan



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Angst, Drama, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-06-03
Updated: 2003-06-04
Packaged: 2017-10-20 02:16:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/207709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Mary writes about Vin's Tascosa problem in the Clarion, alerting every bounty hunter in the territory, she brings about the end of The Magnificent Seven... or does she?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Blood, Sweat and Tears

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the **MBECO ITEMS Challenge**. The idea, to use the first object in the PART 1, use the second object in PART 2, and then use BOTH objects in PART 3 of the story. I chose: 1. Newspaper and 2. Underwear

**Part One**

Chris's brows furrowed together in disbelief and horror, mouth hanging open slackly in a large 'O' as the words on the page embedded themselves deeply into his brain. He looked up from the newspaper, jumped to his feet and raced to the door of the jail house. His eyes darted frantically along the main street, seeking their quarry, locking fast when they caught sight of it.

He started moving with his steps small and faltering at first, as if the shock of what he had just read still held his limbs in a creeping palsy, but slowly he gathered speed and came thundering towards his target. His anger grew along with his strides as he chased down his quarry. She was almost skipping as she walked along the main street, a bundle of newspapers under one arm as she thrust copies at the passing townsfolk with the other, totally oblivious to those behind her. In her wake she left people frozen like statues with their eyes glued to the headline.

In his peripheral vision he saw Buck striding out of the saloon, the batwing doors almost snapping off their hinges as they cracked into the wall either side of the doorway. Buck's head was swinging from side to side but he zeroed in on Chris and started on an intercept course. In Buck's hand Chris had spotted the Clarion held in a white-knuckled grip.

"Chris!"

"Not now, Buck!"

The frozen people thawed rapidly and began running in different directions, eager to pass on what they had read. Chris ignored them; knowing there was little he could do to prevent them spreading the word. Buck fell into step beside him as his old friend realised where Chris was headed and a quick glance proved to Chris that he was not the only one enraged by the headline. Nathan appeared from his room above the livery, clutching a newspaper that Tiny had raced to him as soon as he realised what was in it. His dark eyes were so big and round in fear and disbelief that Chris could see the whites even from this distance. From just beyond him, Josiah was storming from the church where another copy of the Clarion had been delivered speedily by a concerned citizen.

"Miz Travis!"

Mary stopped and walked towards Nathan. A broad, triumphant smile covered her face, and her hand gesticulated towards the paper held in Nathan's hand, but before either of them could say a word, Chris was upon them.

"What in God's name did you think you were doing?"

Mary spun around, eyes wide in shock at the blasphemy aimed towards her but Chris was too enraged to care about her sensibilities. He needed to know why she had done this.

"Mr. Larabee... that sort of langua--"

"Just what in the hell is THIS?"

Mary took a step back but Chris did not care if he was intimidating her. Her expression hardened and her eyes became chips of wintry blue ice. She did not bother to look at the newspaper he thrust under her nose.

"The Truth, Mr. Larabee."

That took Chris aback. It *was* the truth. He could not deny that every single word written across the front page of her newspaper was the truth. He looked deep into her eyes, unsure what he was looking for and found nothing but a puritanical zeal to publish the truth as she saw fit. Having no idea of the magnitude of what she had done, Mary carried on with her own tirade, blindly defending her decision to publish the truth for all to see.

"Everyone has a right to know the truth, Mr. Larabee. They need to have faith in the men protecting this town and after--"

"You really have no idea of what you've done."

Chris shook his head, sorrow replacing anger as he cut off her tirade. She flinched at the rawness in his soft, disbelieving voice, her own eyes showing confusion as she looked back down at her headline, still unable to see anything wrong with it. Chris closed his eyes, knowing that there was nothing more he could say or do, and he turned and walked away from her for the last time. The newspaper dropped from his hand, separating into sheets but lying still upon the dusty street until the breeze lifted it. The front page tumbled a few feet along the street and fetched up against a nearby upright on the boardwalk, and was plastered around the thick post for a moment before the wind caught it again and blew it onwards.

In those few seconds, while it was splayed around the post, it imprinted itself on Chris's mind once more, and he flicked his gaze back to see realization dawn in Mary's horror-filled eyes.

The stylized drawing of Vin Tanner and the words _500 dollars - dead or alive_ overshadowed the smaller print beneath - _for an innocent man_.

By the time Chris had reached his boarding house, five of his fellow protectors were right behind him, and he turned to face them. Josiah was only half-dressed, his dingy pink undershirt darkened by sweat from where he had been working on the church. Buck was still gripping his copy of the Clarion tightly between both hands, wringing the paper as if it was something he could strangle. JD fidgeted, shuffling from foot to foot as he nervously chewed on his lower lip; his eyes were as large as saucers. However, it was Ezra who proved how serious the matter was, for the usually impeccably dressed gambler was disheveled from dressing too quickly and too carelessly. His cuff links were missing; his pearl buttons in misalignment, and his short hair stood up in stiff spikes. All of them carried the same drawn expression, and all of them stared at Chris intensely as if he knew all the answers.

"So what we gonna do, Chris?"

Nathan asked the question that Chris could read on every face.

"Ain't nothing we can do except tell Vin to get riding before this place is crawling with bounty hunters."

Resignation and sadness filled every eye. It was the end of the Magnificent Seven.

****

 **Part Two**

Dappled sunlight painted his body in an ever-changing pattern of golden dabs as if he was a living canvas lovingly crafted by a benevolent artist. Above his head the leaves rustled in the slight breeze, singing a soft lullaby to enchant him to sleep, so he closed his eyes and let his other senses reach out. The surface of the pond rippled as the zephyr caressed it with gentle fingers, but every now and then he would hear a plop as a hungry fish snatched at the small larvae and skaters skimming across the surface before darting back into the depths. The same gentle fingers of the breeze traced patterns over his hot flesh, blowing across a nipple like a lover's warm breath and sending dizzy sensations of pleasure to every nerve ending.

He reached down, fingers fondling the heavy sac and encircling the tumescent shaft, teasing along the length of his flesh within a gentle grip until he could scrape across the sensitive tip with a rough thumbnail. He moaned softly, allowing the sensations to slowly build as he played gently with himself.

A new scent joined those that already filled the air; the musk of his eager body mingling with the dry dust and with the perfume of wildflowers that floated on the breeze. He inhaled deeply, feeling a spike of new pleasure impale him as another lighter scent drifted from the buckskin coat that formed a pillow beneath his head. The pungent aroma of a cheroot teased at his senses bringing back a fresh memory. He recalled sitting with Chris in the saloon only an hour ago, eating a hearty breakfast. They didn't say much but then, they rarely did. Vin enjoyed the company nonetheless, basking in the warmth of a friendship he had never imagined before he came to this town. Afterwards, Chris had lit one of his cheroots and alternated between smoking it and sipping at a hot mug of coffee while they shared that quiet moment.

After they went their separate ways - with Chris heading over to the jail house to take his turn on duty - Vin decided to come out to the pond so he could continue to bask in that wondrous glow of friendship. It didn't matter that Chris was not lying on the bank of soft grass beside him. Vin could still feel his presence in the warmth that enveloped him whenever he thought of the other man. He could still smell the scent of Chris from the mild smoke that had clung tenaciously to his coat. If he listened carefully, he could hear the soft voice in the water rippling over small pebbles and babbling over rocks on its journey through the pond.

His grip tightened around his hardened shaft, his fingers sliding along the length with just the right amount of pressure, drawn by an intimate knowledge of his own needs. He squeezed the tight sac, rolling the contents smoothly as the familiar figure of Chris Larabee formed behind his eyes. Vin sank into the welcoming embrace of his phantom lover, and allowed the erotic images to guide his body to completion.

He cried out a single, drawn-out word; his almost silent, hoarse cry forming a name as his belly and chest was scalded by his spent seed.

"Chrissss."

Vin stroked his flesh gently as the last of the exquisite sensations flowed through him, and then he let the fingers drop away. A smile of satisfaction played about his lips until he was foolish enough to wish his vision of Chris had been reality. With a sigh, Vin sat up, scraping his dust and semen-coated fingers across the rapidly drying seed on his stomach. He gazed longingly at the sparkling water and decided that this was one desire he could have. With the grace and speed of a mountain lion, he sprang to his feet and dove beneath the surface. When, at last, he came back up for air, Vin shook his head to sweep the wet strands of long hair from his eyes and he chuckled softly to himself. The water was warm, and yet cool enough to take the heat from his skin. It felt wonderful to rinse the trail dust from his body and, making a quick decision, Vin stepped from the pond long enough to snag a bar of soap from his saddlebag and his discarded underwear from the dusty ground.

As he rubbed the soap through his hair and along his body he chuckled anew, imagining Chris's expression at the idea of taking a bath in the pond rather than in a hot tub in the bathhouse. He would have that dubious look on his face, with his green eyes narrowed and glinting dangerously, and his generous mouth would be set in a crooked half smile.

"But then you'd say _what the hell_ and start stripping."

Vin felt a fresh tingle race through him at the thought of watching Chris take off his dusty clothing, seeing each square inch of beautiful ivory flesh quickly revealed. He had seen Chris naked once or twice, and half-naked on other occasions, and he used those memories to fuel the new fire burning in his loins.

"Damn it, Larabee. Thinking of you gets me hornier than a young buck in the springtime."

He snorted as his mind twisted the image from his intended meaning to the vision of a young Buck Wilmington cavorting with the ladies in the town. It had the desired effect of dampening the ardor from his already depleted body. Vin had no doubt that he would be bringing more pleasure to himself with thoughts of Chris Larabee, but he wanted to wait a while and savor the fresh sensations.

Vin dunked his head under the water to rinse off the soap clinging to his hair, and then he grabbed the dirty underwear. He began to scrub at the grimy pink material, rinsing away several weeks worth of sweat and dust before laying the garment over a large rock to dry out under the heat of the mid-morning sun.

Vin swam back out towards the center of the pond and turned onto his back, letting the water support his weight as he floated off into more erotic dreams of Chris Larabee. His first inkling that something was amiss came when a small pebble bounced off his chest. Vin jack-knifed in the water, suddenly aware of how vulnerable he was just floating there many feet from his mare's leg or a knife. He flicked a strand of waterlogged hair from his eyes as a low rumble of laughter filled the area.

"Dammit, Josiah. Sneaking up on a man like that is liable to get you shot."

Josiah grinned maniacally as he held up Vin's mare's leg still in its holster, but then the grin faltered as a sober expression replaced the laughter-tinged one.

"Only man likely to get shot around here is you."

"Problem in town?"

"Yeah. I suppose you could call Mrs. Travis a problem."

Vin waded out towards the bank and, with just a merest flicker of unease aimed towards Josiah - for his nakedness - he stepped out and snatched up his underwear. It was still sopping wet, and he knew he didn't have a spare set in his saddlebag. With a grimace, he dropped it back onto the rock and started to clamber into his pants. With a sideways look, Vin dared Josiah to comment as he buttoned up the pants over his naked flesh but Josiah merely grinned.

"Picked a bad day to do some laundry."

Vin glanced around the beautiful setting, still feeling the warmth of the early spring sunshine on his naked shoulders before he pulled on his favorite red shirt. He ignored the knowing toothy grin, accepting it as one of Josiah's aberrations, and asked the question that was on his mind.

"Chris got her all riled up again? Or has she gone and done something to rile Chris?"

Vin had never met too people who could rile each other as much as those two. In the early days a lot of the townsfolk had figured on them becoming husband and wife but Chris and Mary never could see eye to eye except on a few occasions, both of them headstrong and more than a little obstinate over what they considered to be important matters. It meant they clashed regularly even though they could still be the best of friends at other times. However, when they did butt heads the shock wave would sweep through the town at an alarming rate and leave no one unscathed.

Josiah didn't answer his question so he was left to wonder who had caused this latest rift between the two.

"Chris wants you to ride on out to his shack. He'll be waiting for you there."

Vin raised his eyebrows in surprise. It was rare for Larabee to back down in a fight, let alone retreat from a showdown with Mary and slink out to his shack in the hills. Whatever happened must have pissed him royally.

Josiah didn't elaborate and Vin knew it would be a waste of breath trying to wheedle an answer out of him. He reckoned that spell in the priesthood must have affected Josiah in some strange way as the man could certainly hold his tongue when he wanted to - and the rest of the time Josiah tended to speak in riddles that no one could understand anyway.

Vin nodded, knowing he would have his answers once he got to Larabee's shack. He pulled on his buckskin coat, dropped his hat over his head so it hung down the back and then saddled up his horse. He tied his wet underwear at the back of the saddle, hoping that the garment might dry faster that way and, by the time he mounted up, Josiah was already on horseback and waiting for him. Together, they rode off towards Chris's piece of land at a fast canter with Vin's sopping wet underwear trailing behind them like a pale pink banner, and his long wet hair blowing just as freely in the wind.

****

 **Part Three**

Chris stood on the small porch and took a deep draw on the cheroot. In the distance he could hear the sound of horses hooves beating the hard-packed ground and he watched as two riders broke from the cover of the trees to canter across the meadow towards the shack. Chris frowned as something long and pink waved out like a flag from behind Vin's horse, and then he grinned as he figured out what it was. For the first time since reading Mary's newspaper, he felt part of the dark shadow lift from his spirit. He knew that it was seeing Vin alive and whole that had eased his mind for he had imagined all kinds of terrible things happening to Vin Tanner since seeing that headline in the Clarion. He saw familiar faces waiting in ambush for Vin, willing to compromise their self-respect for the 500-dollar reward that would feed their families for many a year. He saw greedy ranch hands deciding to earn themselves a year's pay in a single day.

"Damn you, Mary."

After Yates took Vin away that time, they had managed to persuade the townsfolk that it was all a simple case of mistaken identity. The gunning down of the similar looking Eli Joe, with his blue eyes and shoulder length hair had added extra weight to their claim. However, Mary had taken it upon herself to reveal the whole truth to the town in the mistaken belief that the people around these parts would give a damn about one scruffy tracker. Trouble was, she was right. They probably would give a damn about him - but only for the reward money.

Dead or Alive.

There were few people around these parts who would bother to take in such a bounty alive when the Texas border was only a day's ride to the East. Most men would put up with a rotting corpse for the promise of more than a year's pay for a single day's work - 500 dollars.

Vin jumped down from his horse, an easy smile lighting his face and putting a twinkle in his sky blue eyes. It reminded Chris of the perfect start to this day; rising late and then sharing breakfast with Vin before he wandered over to the jail house. He'd been sitting behind the big sheriff's desk, leaning back in the chair with his feet propped up on the desktop. The book in his hand had been opened to the place where he'd left off last time around but he hadn't read a single word. Instead he'd been thinking about the anomaly that was Vin Tanner - and how that one man had affected his life.

And then Mary had waltzed in, dropping the Clarion on the desk with a bright and airy _good morning_ , and leaving before he could straighten in his seat and respond.

She brought with her the end of that perfect day, but Chris realized that this day could still turn out to be a good one despite everything. He gave a wry grin as he turned his thoughts away from Mary Travis to the handsome man standing before him - and then stared beyond Vin, momentarily, to the pink underwear hanging from the back of the saddle.

"Doing some laundry?"

Laughter lines formed around Vin's bright eyes.

"Figured they needed a scrubbing. Josiah came for me afore they'd dried and I'd be right pleased if you'd let me use your shack to put them back on. Hadn't figured on how much it would chafe without them."

Chris found his eyes dropping of their own volition to the loose beige pants as he realised Vin was riding around half dressed. A flash of heat swept through him, igniting a fire deep in his belly at the thought of Vin wearing nothing at all beneath the pants and shirt.

"Yeah... sure," he mumbled, turning away in the hope that neither Vin nor Josiah noticed the heat flaring into his face. If they did then he hoped they'd put it down to embarrassment at Vin's declaration rather than...

Rather than what?

Chris refused to allow that thought to develop, already aware of the dreams that had plagued him these past months, since Vin rode back in time to save him from Ella Gaines and her hired men. Not that she'd planned on killing him that time around. Still, Vin had rode in and had given them the chance to fend off Handsome Jack's men, and he had covered Chris; protecting him after Chris was hit. All in all, whenever he replayed that fateful day over in his mind, he no longer saw Ella Gaines staring back at him from her horse. Instead he saw the strong arms and concerned face of a friend who broke cover so he could use his own body to shield him from further injury. He could still feel the pressure of those warm, callused hands upon his naked flesh. He could still smell the raw scent of buckskin and sweat mingling with the tang of iron from his own spilled blood as he tasted the saltiness of tears formed from his pain and grief.

Blood, sweat and tears.

These were the only memories he had of those final moments until his night-time dreams made him recall far more. He remembered the feel of those hands upon him, and he recalled the sight of blue eyes full of fear and concern... and something more that he refused to dwell upon lest he be forced to give it a name. He would awaken from dreams where those hands touched him far more intimately, stroking him, pleasuring him as those blue eyes glowed with that unnamed emotion.

He'd dreamed of Vin last night too, and had awoken to sticky sheets and the heaviness of a well-sated body. He knew he ought to have felt ashamed at wanting Vin in such a heathen way - but he didn't. He had no idea if Vin ever thought about men in such an intimate fashion, but he was certain Vin wouldn't be shocked or disgusted at him even if that kind of thing wasn't for him. That was the kind of man Vin Tanner was; a man who was able to see beyond the indoctrination of The Bible and its views on men lying together... probably because he'd grown up away from its influence.

Chris stood aside as Vin entered the shack, and waited expectantly. Sure enough, Vin came out straight away, the pink underwear held limply in one hand, but Chris was unprepared for the raw pain and misunderstanding shining from the bright blue eyes.

"You leaving?"

"Yeah."

"Ain't like you've never butt heads with Mary Travis before, so why leave this time?"

"What she done can't be fixed."

Vin stared deep into his eyes as if he was trying to discover the reason there. Chris sighed and unfolded the newspaper he had taken from Buck before riding out to the shack. He held it up so Vin could see the front-page story. The blue eyes flickered away from his to the paper, and then froze in wide-eyed shock. He looked back up to Chris as if hoping this was some kind of joke.

"We're both leaving, Vin. Just like we agreed all that time ago."

Vin turned away, his lips mouthing an obscenity as he shook his head in a mixture of anger and dismay. He looked out across the meadow.

"Ain't no point heading to Tascosa now Eli Joe is dead."

"I know. I wired the Judge and he's gonna see if there's any kind of deal he can make with what's left of Eli Joe's gang. Most of them were hung or killed not long after I shot Eli Joe, but maybe some--"

"Even with a full pardon I'm still gonna have to watch my back for as long as I live. Always gonna be someone carrying around an old bounty poster, looking for some easy money." Vin turned anguished eyes on Chris. "Ain't never gonna be free of this, Chris."

"If you want to make a stand in the town then--"

"No. Stayed too long in one place as it is. Should have moved on when Yates came for me that time."

"Then why did you stay, Vin?"

Chris found his answer when Vin raised unguarded eyes full of that unnamed emotion but, instead of being shocked at what he had revealed, Chris began to grin.

"Ain't nothing to grin about, Larabee. You ain't riding with me."

Chris's grin faltered as he wondered if he had totally misread the look that had passed fleetingly through Vin's eyes.

"You never made a promise to ride with me, and even if you think you did then I ain't gonna hold you to it." His voice dropped, becoming low and raw. "You made yourself a home here, Cowboy. I ain't gonna let you ride away from it on account of me. I ain't that important."

"That's where you're wrong, Tanner." Chris dropped his cheroot to the ground and crushed it with a vicious twist beneath his heel. "And I ain't the only one to think so."

The sound of more horses pulled at their attention but no one drew a gun as the four riders approached. Buck reined to a halt right beside the porch.

"Town's in an uproar... with half of them running around looking for a bounty to collect and the other half wringing their hands together wondering what's gonna happen now we've gone."

Buck looked down into Vin's stunned expression.

"That's right, Vin. Figure we're a family now and we ought to stick together."

"What about the decent townsfolk--"

Nathan drew forward.

"Now don't you go worrying yourself about them, Vin. We ain't exactly been needed for months... and the Judge is sending some lawmen to take over our responsibilities. Heard there's a doctor aiming to set up in town too so I got no reason to stay."

"Ezra?"

"I am certain my presence in the town will not be missed, Mr. Tanner. And I have to admit to being more than a little relieved to be riding onwards. The clientèle in town has become most... unrewarding these past few months."

"What he means is he's sick of watching out for the stagecoach in the hope of there being easy pickings on-board."

"Concise as ever, Mr. Wilmington... but, unfortunately, the truth."

"JD? You got Casey to watch over."

"You know I like Casey but I ain't ready to settle down. Not yet."

That only left Josiah but Vin did not need to ask his intentions. The ex-preacher always rode with all his meager possessions with him as if watching for a sign to just keep on riding whenever they left the town. He had never seen his work on the church as anything more than part of a penance that could be taken up in other ways - as his Lord saw fit.

Vin looked back into Chris's eyes, and Chris made certain he saw everything he wanted, and everything Chris felt for him. He was rewarded by a contented grin as Vin acknowledged more than just the offer of a riding companion.

"So... where we headed, Cowboy?"

Chris grinned, knowing Vin had recognized all he had offered; body, mind and soul... and accepted it all... blood, sweat and even tears if needs be. He looked down at the newspaper still clasped in his hand, and tossed it into the shack to lie discarded with all the other items he would be leaving behind.

"Figured we turn south into Mexico... and maybe keep on riding south all the way down to Brazil. So you best go put on your underwear."

Vin snorted, shaking his head almost disbelief. He'd always wanted to ride down to Brazil; had nearly taken off with Charlotte before he realised that the person he wanted riding by his side was a lean, blond gunfighter rather than another man's woman. Now his dream would be realised beyond his wildest imaginings.

Instead of riding off alone he would be riding with the family he had forged in this town... and next time he found himself a pond on a warm day, he'd make sure he had **everything** he desired - including a lean, blond gunfighter lying naked beneath him.

THE END


	2. Mind. Body and Soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't resist having another go at the challenge. This time I chose: 1. Banana and 2. Tumbler (glass). ALSO, for the E-DAY MAY 2002 **Masturbation** Challenge

**Part One**

Vin stripped quickly and silently, pulling on the dried underwear before dressing once more. He took a look around the shack that he had taken a hand in building with Chris. It wasn't much but a lot of blood and sweat had gone into raising those walls. Nathan and Josiah had helped make the roof, using their experience after working on the church to ensure that it wouldn't leak even in the worst of the winter storms. Vin frowned. He'd been here a number of times - had even stayed under this roof on one or two occasions - but he had never thought of it as anything other than Chris's shack. Not Chris's home... just his shack in the hills like it was some temporary dwelling Chris took to when he wanted to get away for a while.

He pulled open the door to find the other six members of the 'Magnificent' Seven still saddled and waiting to ride on. Seeing his face plastered across the front page of Mary's newspaper had given him no choice but to move on before the bounty hunters arrived in droves. He couldn't help but feel selfishly pleased that the others had decided to move on with him -- especially Chris. His initial fear had been that he would be forced to go alone, leaving behind a man who had become more than a friend, and more than a brother.

Vin pulled himself into the saddle of his own horse, ignoring the way the black skittered as he locked eyes with Chris. He tried to read the emotions behind those moss-green eyes and was bewildered, momentarily, to see very little sadness at leaving this all behind.

Perhaps it ain't been a home to you. neither, Cowboy.

His horse champed at the bit, head pulling at the reins, snorting impatiently as if eager to get moving and, suddenly, Vin felt the same way. He felt a weight dropping from his shoulders as he realized the responsibility he had carried for the town -- and its folk -- for these past years was at an end. All that remained was the burden of caring for six men who had become far closer than friends, but this was a weight he would bear with pride.

"You ready, Vin?"

Vin thought of his wagon that was still in the town and of the few possessions he would be leaving behind in it. In truth they were more in the nature of extravagances as, like Josiah, he always carried all that was important to him just in case a situation arose that meant he could never go back; a situation just like this one.

"Still think it might be better if I went on ahead... alone. Meet you all at that small cantina just beyond Collins Pass."

Protests arose from the all but Chris, but one look told him that Chris would have to be pried from his side. Vin gave one sharp nod, his eyes circling to encompass the others as he accepted their decision, and then they turned as one and rode across the meadow, heading south towards Mexico.

* * *

Collins Pass lay before them but Vin felt a prickling sense of unease raising the short hairs at the nape of his neck. He'd learned, long ago, not to ignore that feeling and pulled the others up. Chris rode up beside him and Vin noticed he was having a little trouble keeping the normally placid black under control. It was as if Chris's gelding sensed something amiss too.

"Problem?"

Vin looked into the concerned eyes before letting his gaze sweep the area ahead of them once more.

"Something ain't right. Too quiet."

"Could be a mountain lion's spooked the rest."

"Yeah... or it could be something else."

"You figuring on it being some*one* rather than some*thing*?

The others drew up close.

"Mr. Larabee, if some miscreants are lying in wait for our Mr. Tanner then it might be prudent to take an alternative route to our destination."

Vin opened his mouth to reply but Buck beat him to it.

"There's Baker's Pass over yonder... might take us an extra day to get there though. The alternative is trailing along the ridge... and I don't think that's such a good idea."

Vin took up from Buck.

"The winter loosened up a lot of that rock... been a few slides recently. Would be treacherous underfoot." He licked his dry lips. "Hate to lose a good horse."

Chris looked ahead, his eyes narrowing against the glare of the midday sun as he tried to see what might have spooked Vin and his own horse. Vin stared out through the pass as well. Everything seemed peaceful for as far as the eye could see but he knew that looks could be deceiving.

He turned back to see Chris purse his lips and lean forward in his saddle, his narrowed eyes taking in all of the men as he made a decision.

"Word'll spread like wild fire. In another day this whole area will be crawling with bounty hunters looking for easy money."

Buck nodded, understanding what Chris was saying. He added his own thoughts.

"And by the time we reach Baker's Pass it could be crawling with desperados coming up from Purgatory looking for both revenge and that reward."

"Lot of ranchers around here got to grudge against you., Vin... against all of us."

Josiah looked across at Nathan, nodding his head sagely. "James holds a mighty big grudge seeings how we helped the Judge hang his nephew for murder. He'll be sending his men after us as soon as he gets word. Could already be on their way."

"Heard some of the townsfolk talking about what they could do with 500 dollars." JD added. "Well, I did. People like Crane."

"I believe you., JD." Buck grinned.

"You are a marked man, Mr. Tanner... and time is of the essence if we're to expedite your escape."

"Then we'd best be on our guard."

Vin clicked, adding pressure to his horse's flank to urge him to move onwards into Collins Pass. He felt the others fall into line behind him, and he hoped they were all being attentive to any danger. He had a nasty feeling that someone was lying in wait and could only assume that he was their target. He'd already told the others to ride on ahead, telling them to meet him at a small cantina just across the Mexican border but they had not agreed. He didn't want to see any of them hurt or killed over him -- especially Chris -- but short of shooting them himself, there was no way he could persuade them otherwise.

He shuddered as he relived that moment when Chris had been shot out at Ella Gaines's place, remembering the feel of the warm, naked flesh in his hands as he raced to Chris's side to try and protect him from further injury. He recalled the way Chris had clung to him when Nathan took out the bullet, feeling the strong fingers wrapped around his, white-knuckled, as he held onto Vin with a death's grip. Vin spent those early days after the wounding seated by Chris, bathing the fever-soaked body, and trying to get him to sip at some water and at Nathan's bitter-tasting teas. If the others found his vigilance strange then they didn't comment. Instead they made it easy for him by bringing his meals to Chris's bedside, and watching over Chris while he ate and took nature's calls.

That's when the fantasies had started. That's when friendship had blossomed into passion and want, and once Vin had started to think of Chris lying in his arms it felt like a dam busting open inside him. He thought his emotions had raged when he fell for Charlotte Richmond but what he had felt for her paled in comparison to his feelings for Chris. It was more than lust; more than simple want -- though both those sensations filled him. His feelings for Chris ran far deeper than he'd ever believed. He wanted Chris with mind, body *and* soul... still, the thought of taking physical pleasure with Chris was overpowering.

Vin felt his mind trying to drift back to the pond where he'd taken solitary pleasure in his desired lover's arms. Visions of that ghost lover came back to haunt him with those moss green eyes and pouty lips that were just begging to be kissed. He saw, again, the smooth pale flesh; a rose-colored nipple peaked in desire; those lips parted, breath gasping as Chris accepted Vin's possession...

Vin shook off the image, knowing what was at stake should he take his mind off the danger that might lie ahead. He schooled his features and glanced behind, needing to see the perfection that called to him from his dreams and fantasies, and he saw Chris frown then smile slightly, suddenly aware that Chris had seen behind the mask to read the hidden desire. Vin swallowed hard, realizing more than ever that Chris wanted him too, and he hoped it was with the same depth of feeling that he had for Chris.

They travelled for more than half an hour with just the clicking of their horses' hooves against the dry rock to break the eerie silence. The sun was at its zenith, beating down upon them unmercifully, and if he had not felt this overpowering desire to get through the pass as swiftly as possible, Vin might have ordered them all to stop and take a short siesta.

His horse snorted, head rearing and feet hesitating as it skittered sideways. Vin stretched out his senses, trying to see or hear what had spooked his horse yet again. He could hear Chris having to reassure his own skittish mount.

A crack echoed sharply, and then splinters of rock flew outwards from where a bullet thudded into the rock face a few feet from his head. Vin gasped out his shock as he felt one sliver slice across his cheek, his horse rearing, almost causing him to fall off backwards. Another shot sent up a plume of dust near his horse's hoof but Vin was already swinging from the saddle, rifle in hand. The Seven spread out, seeking cover for both them and their horses, and Vin looked across the width of this narrow section of the pass to where he could see Chris's black-clad figure crouched behind a large boulder. Nathan was pressed up against Chris, and JD and Ezra were just a little further on, maybe thirty feet from him at best.

Vin looked behind as Josiah's gun sang out, his hand steady as he marked one of their attackers, the bullet kicking up rock and dust mere inches from the unknown man. Buck was a few feet to Vin's left, his own gun firing from time to time as he eyed his target carefully.

Vin listened hard, eyes sharp as he picked out the various positions of the men firing upon them. He could make out four shooters and, though outnumbered, they had the high ground, pinning the Seven in the cut through the pass below.

"Godammit."

Buck swore as a lucky shot almost took his head off, the bullet thudding into the rock-strewn floor two feet behind him. Vin snarled in pleasure as one of the attackers made the mistake of moving for a better firing position, the rifle jumping in Vin's hand as he sent a bullet through the man's chest. The body fell, bringing loose rocks clattering to the floor of the pass.

Three to go, he thought viciously.

Another scatter of rocks and grit fell, but it was from high above Josiah's head. Vin snapped round, rifle aimed upwards, a single shot catching the previously unknown fifth attacker.

"Josiah!!"

Vin yelled and saw the big man move with a speed and grace that belied his size as the falling body dislodged loose rocks and boulders. The earth trembled and a deep rumble filled the air as tons of rock slid down the side of the pass, the sheer weight and momentum bringing down larger boulders. It was over in less than a minute and Vin coughed hard as he drew in a lungful of dust-filled air. Josiah was lying partially over his legs from where he had fallen after they had both made a dash to the safety of the overhang by Buck.

"Josiah?"

"I'm fine, Vin... just winded."

"Buck?" Buck coughed and shook his head to say he was fine too. "Can you see Chris... and the others?"

"Hell, Vin... there's a mountain of rock lying between us and them."

Josiah rolled off Vin's legs and Vin pushed himself upright. The sound of a bullet ricocheting off the boulder behind him reminded him that there was still some other unfinished business.

"Ah, hell."

Vin checked his rifle and saw it was still in working order. He shouldered it, scanning the rocks ahead for betraying movement. Instead, he heard a man's voice.

"We ain't got a grudge against you boys. We just want Tanner an' the 500 dollars. Hand him over and the rest of you cowboys can jest ride away."

Vin listened hard and grinned when he heard a distant answer from Chris.

"You calling me a cowboy?"

"Look, mister--" But Chris interrupted with that soft, smooth voice of his that spoke trouble to anyone not willing to listen.

"I've a better idea. You ride on and I won't kill you."

The man laughed harshly and a shot rang out; the man's overconfidence his undoing as he moved out of cover far enough for one of the others to take him down. Vin saw scatters of rock as the remaining two men fled, no longer so eager for the money now that three of them had been killed.

"Chris?"

Vin shouted to get a fix on his friend, moving to the massive pile of debris separating them. He tried to climb but the loose rock moved treacherously underfoot.

"Anyway around from your side, Vin?"

Vin eyed the small mountain and shook his head in frustration, looking to Josiah and Buck and seeing the same futility reflected on their faces.

"Can't see a way over this. Gonna have to go around... or back. There was a cut a few miles back that comes out about ten miles east of the pass."

"From what I can see, we're almost out of the pass as it is. Worth the risk of going back to the cut. Should only take you a few extra hours at most."

"You go on, Chris. We'll meet you. at the cantina like I described."

Vin heard the agreement and looked at Buck and Josiah.

"That cut can be a little dangerous 'round this time of year so I guess we'd best get moving else we'll have to set up camp for the night."

They nodded and the three men set out to where the horses had taken cover earlier. Within minutes they were riding as hard as they dared back towards the cut.

* * *

It was late afternoon by the time they reached the end of the narrow pass, and Vin grinned in silent relief at the open expanse of gently rolling hills leading across the border into Mexico. If their luck held then they'd reach the cantina in the small border village in a few more hours. He was bolstered by the knowledge that Chris and the others would be waiting there for them.

They rode in silence at an easy gait but Vin stopped suddenly at the strange sight several miles ahead. It looked like an oasis of verdant green within a sea of stony rock and spiny bushes. Although it was a little off their trail, Vin was intrigued. He looked at the other two men seeing similar curiosity written on their faces.

"Seems a mighty strange place for crop planting," Josiah mumbled but Vin could see a twinkle in his eye that warned him Josiah knew more than he was letting on. Buck pulled on his long mustache thoughtfully, with his eyes narrowed in speculation.

Vin found himself torn between a desire to reach Chris as quickly as possible, and the satisfying of his curiosity, but then he recalled that Chris would wait no matter if it did take them an extra hour to get there.

"Ah, hell... let's go see what it is."

They angled off towards the small oasis of green and Vin grew more puzzled the closer they came to it. Part of him expected to find it was only a vineyard but the plants were far different to any grapevine he'd seen in the past. Large bunches of green-yellow fingers hung from the plants like some obscene hand and Vin eyed them cautiously as they rode along the edge of the plantation towards the small hacienda. A man stepped out, pulling on a battered sombrero but his narrowed-eyed concern turned to wide-eyed pleasure.

"Senor Sanchez!"

"Alvarez," rumbled Josiah warmly in response as he slipped from his horse and greeted the smaller Mexican with a firm hug. Josiah kept a friendly arm around the smaller man's shoulders as he turned to introduce Vin and Buck, and Vin could see the genuine pleasure in Josiah's light blue eyes.

"Alvarez is an old friend... a friend who has seen his dream come true." Josiah's eyes swept over the strange plants with their even stranger fruit.

"It took a while, Senor Sanchez, but I found a spring in this inhospitable place... enough water to keep my precious plants alive and bearing their delicious fruit."

"I have two young men here who have never seen nor tasted your precious fruit."

"Then they *must*... come, I will pick one of the best bunches for you and your friends."

Vin dropped from his horse and watched as Josiah peeled the yellow skin from the exotic fruit. Inside the flesh looked firm and creamy, and Josiah bit into it, his eyes rolling back in a long-forgotten pleasure. Vin caught Buck's eye and then turned his attention to the fruit he held. He copied Josiah, peeling back the outer layer and then took a cautious bite, momentarily put out by the softness and the texture. It was surprisingly good despite having little water content like the other fruits he had eaten in the past.

"S'good," he mumbled around a second mouthful, hearing Buck's similar remark. "What do you call it?"

"Banana."

They stayed for a further hour while Josiah and his friend reminisced over times and places in their past, but Vin could feel the pull of Chris Larabee. He wanted to get moving even though Alvarez offered them shelter for the night. They mounted up but, at the last moment, Vin asked if he might take a small bunch of the fruit with him, wanting to share this newfound pleasure with the friends waiting for them at the cantina.

They rode on, refreshed from their stop, as day gave way to night.

* * *

 **Part Two**

Chris cursed when he realized there was no way for Vin, Buck and Josiah to clamber over the rock slide. The surface was too dangerous for a man so it would be near impossible for horses. He could only be grateful that Vin knew the terrain well enough to know another route heading towards Mexico, as going all the way back would be unthinkable. By now, word of Vin's presence in the small town they had protected would be everywhere and Chris could imagine all sorts of people filled with greed for the 500-dollar reward -- dead or alive. All Chris could hope for now was that the cut Vin was aiming for had not suffered a similar fate to this pass due to the cold winter.

He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. If all went well then they would be reunited by nightfall in the small cantina that Vin had mentioned when he tried to get the others to ride on without him.

Chris looked at the other three men, noticing how dusty and disheveled they appeared after their near-brush with a natural disaster. Even Ezra's normally immaculate green coat was covered in a fine layer of grit that he tried to slap clean, raising a small cloud of dust around him that sent Nathan and JD stepping back in disgust.

"Hey!"

JD's exclamation and Nathan's moan of displeasure sent Ezra's eyebrows soaring in effrontery and Chris stepped in before the dust fall became a 'dust up'.

"We got to long ride ahead in this dust and heat so there's no sense trying to get clean, Ezra."

Chris retrieved his horse, giving a small prayer of thanks that the skittish gelding had not run when the side of the pass had collapsed. Riding out of here without Vin was bad enough... but at east he would be riding rather than walking.

They reached the end of the pass within an hour and head off across the rocky foothills towards the distant Mexican village that Vin had described. It took almost two hours but, eventually, they reached the outskirts of the village and settled the horses into an easy walk. They passed through a white-walled street to the Market Square at the center of the small village. A large church dominated one end of the square with its whitewashed walls surrounded by adobe dwellings. A large bell hung within an elaborately built housing but it did not toll with their arrival so Chris could only assume they paid no great mind to travellers. The small cantina was opposite the church, just as Vin had said, and Chris stepped down from his horse outside. A young Mexican boy raced towards them, offering to rub down and feed the horses, and Chris tossed him several coins but ignored the excited look as the kid gathered up the reins and led the horses towards the small livery nearby.

He pushed aside the beaded curtain and stepped into the cooler interior of the cantina, grateful to be out of the hot sun even though it was late-afternoon and the sun hung low in the sky. The cantina was almost empty so Chris had his choice of tables. He picked out one near the back where there would be a good view of the two entrances and bar, sinking into the furthest seat with his back against the wall. Nathan, JD and Ezra joined him, and he smiled as he listened to the companionable bickering of the southerner and his colored counterpart. They were like chalk and cheese in so many ways though Chris was certain they each held a solid respect for the other despite the words that passed between them. For a moment, Chris wondered about Rain, and why Nathan had come with them when he could have gone back to the Seminole village instead and made Rain his wife.

As he reflected on this, he wondered if Rain had been to Nathan what Mary had been to him; a futile attempt to persuade him that he wasn't in love with another man. The more he thought about it, the more he became convinced that Nathan and Ezra were hiding more than just their respect for each other. He grinned and caught the bartender's inquiring brown eye.

"Tequila."

The young Mexican girl brought out a bottle of the clear alcohol and four tumblers, setting them in the middle of the table. Chris poured out the four measures and sat the bottle back down. He leaned back in his seat and held up the glass. Light from the doorway refracted through the thick glass, forming a rainbow of pure colors that mesmerized him. He rotated the glass between his thumb and forefinger, realizing that if he concentrated hard enough then he could find the deep blue of Vin's eyes.

"Chris?"

The moment was broken as he looked into JD's concerned hazel eyes. Chris gave a wry grin and upended the glass, swallowing the contents and grimacing as the fiery, bitter alcohol burned down his throat to his empty stomach. They ordered food and Chris spent the next few hours listening to the pleasant conversation, offering up a word or two on occasion, but he couldn't relax while Vin was out there beyond his protection. He barely touched the Tequila, not wanting to risk getting drunk just in case he decided to ride out in search of Vin, Buck and Josiah.

As the evening drew on, Chris realized how pointless it would be to try searching for them in the dark and decided to take a room and catch up on much-needed sleep. If they didn't arrive by morning then he wanted to be in good shape for a hard ride. He grabbed the almost empty bottle of Tequila and his glass, leaving a fresh bottle on the table for JD, Nathan and Ezra, and warned them of his intentions concerning Vin and the others before he left.

The room was set apart from the cantina, right on the edge of the tiny village, and Chris opened the large shutters to allow the cool night breeze access to the heated interior. He dropped his hat onto the small table by the door. He stripped off his gun rig, hanging it so the colt was close to hand, then slowly peeled off the layers of his clothing until he was clad in only his underwear, feeling too hot to sleep in his black pants and shirt.

Chris crawled into the surprisingly large and comfortable bed, propping himself up against the wall as he poured out a generous measure of Tequila. He sipped on the bitter liquid, lips peeling back from his teeth in a grimace as he wished there had been whiskey instead. Through the open window he could see across the open land beyond to the distant low-lying mountain range that separated this part of Mexico from America. The tip of a silvery disk peeked above the low hills as the moon rose slowly and majestically into the diamond-strewn sky.

Chris held up the tumbler, seeing a reflection of the moonlight through the glass, and refracting through the clear alcohol it contained. He downed half the contents and placed the rest on the small table beside the bed, wriggling down until he was lying flat and drawing the light cover over the top of him. He closed his eyes -- and sleep found him quickly.

Chris snapped open his eyes, his senses pushing out to uncover the reason for his sudden journey from sleep to wakefulness. Outside he heard the sound of JD laughing none too quietly and he sighed, realizing JD had probably drunk more of the potent Tequila than was sensible. Chris let his body relax back into the soft mattress.

The full moon had risen until it was shining directly through the large open window, bathing him in its silvery glow. Its light deepened the shadows, cloaking the walls of the room in such darkness that they seemed to disappear, leaving him with a surreal impression of lying alone in a cavernous room.

Thoughts of Vin invaded his mind, and his body reacted, his shaft hardening, tenting against the soft fabric of his underwear. Chris smiled lazily, giving his private fantasy of Vin Tanner full rein. Slowly, he pushed aside the light cover and then teased open the buttons of his underwear, letting the material fall aside as he smoothed a palm over his warm flesh, eliciting delicious sensations as he rubbed over first one nipple and then the other. He pinched at one small bud, teasing it gently between thumb and forefinger before continuing his self-exploration across hard muscle and warm skin.

He teased apart more buttons, freeing the hard shaft that arched towards his belly. A single finger toyed with the sensitive flesh, trailing along the vein that ran from root to head before sliding over the flared head to capture a pearlescent droplet of anticipated pleasure. He studied the droplet, entranced by the moonbeams shimmering through the pearl drop, before letting the droplet melt against his lips. Carefully, he licked his lips in appreciation, wondering if Vin would taste as bittersweet.

His hand lowered, cupping his heavy sac and squeezing gently, rolling the contents with familiar pressure while he teased once more at a nipple.

With a slow and easy grin, he decided to end his self-torture, reaching down to wrap his fingers around the thick shaft, stroking slowly from base to head. His thumb brushed over the sensitive tip, sending jagged sensations of pure pleasure radiating through him as he focused inwardly on his image of Vin Tanner standing naked and wanton above him.

He could not hold back on the soft moan that fell from his lips as he imagined Vin kneeling astride him with those strong, agile fingers tracing patterns of delight across his heated flesh. He imagined it was Vin's hands squeezing his balls... Vin's hot mouth sliding over his aching shaft.

His eyes flickered as his mind and body flowed towards ecstasy... and snapped wide open as he saw movement in the deepest shadow of the room.

"Don't stop," came a low, husky male voice.

* * *

 **Part Three**

Vin watched from the deep shadow, eyes burning with hunger for the beautiful, moonlit body lying half-naked, hard and glistening with need before him. When he, Buck and Josiah had arrived to find Chris had taken a room for the night with the intention of being refreshed in case he had to search for them in the morning, Vin had decided to seek him out. He had wanted to reassure Chris that he was safe but a sudden impulse had stayed his hand as he brought it up to knock at the door. Instead, he walked around the small building and peered through the large open window.

Moonlight flooded the center of the small room, alighting on the large bed and its single sleeping occupant. Moonbeams caught at the wisps of golden hair that fell over the tall forehead, turning them to silver. Vin heard the sound of footsteps and slipped into the room, sinking into the shadow and smiling as JD relieved himself only ten feet away. He saw the kid stagger, and watched as Buck caught at his arm and admonish JD softly for drinking too much Tequila. His eyes flicked to the bed at the soft movement, and Vin held his breath as bleary eyes scanned the shadows before being caught by the sound of JD's boyish laughter.

He knew he ought to step forward and let Chris know he was there but there was something in the soft, lazy smile that kept Vin rooted to the spot. His breath caught in his throat as Chris began to tease open his underwear and Vin resisted the urge to groan as his own shaft thickened to press hard against the unforgiving material of his pants. Moonlight cast its silvery glow on the pale flesh making Chris shimmer, luminescent, like a fairy-creature from one of Josiah's strange stories.

The knowing hands played the ethereal body like a virtuoso, drawing a bead of pleasure from the engorged, gracefully arching shaft. Vin licked his own dry lips as Chris raised the finger to his lips, wondering at the unique taste of this man, wishing his own senses were being filled with all of Chris's essence; mind, body and soul.

The rhythmically squeezing fingers continued to play with the heavy sac as Chris wrapped his other hand around the firm flesh, stroking smoothly from base to head, moaning softly with each upward motion as a thumb rubbed over the sensitive tip. Unable to resist any longer, Vin's hand moved of its own accord to rub the swelling, uncomfortable bulge at his own groin... and Chris froze, passion-filled eyes clearing as they pierced the deep shadow where Vin was hiding.

"Don't stop."

Vin barely recognized his own voice. It was thick with passion, low and husky. He stepped out of the shadow, grateful to see taut muscles relax when Chris recognized him.

"Don't stop."

His whispered his words with a silent plea, and sighed raggedly as Chris gave him that familiar gentle smile. The strong fingers complied with Vin's request, quickly reigniting the fire still smouldering in the moonlit body. Passion-heated eyes, darkened with desire, fixed onto Vin. The soft sighs became harder, faster, as Vin slowly drew off his clothes, dropping the first the buckskin coat, then his shirt and britches to the dusty floor. He kicked off his boots, then peeled off his underwear, standing over Chris, naked and wanting with his hard shaft wrapped in his own fist. Vin timed the slide of his fingers to match Chris's, spreading his legs wider as he drew on the vision lying before him to heighten his own pleasure. He cried out in mutual ecstasy as Chris found release, greedily watching as a rope of glistening, pearl-white droplets splattered across the taut abdomen and chest even as his own seed coated his hand and belly.

With his knees beginning to buckle, Vin knelt down on the bed, straddling Chris. He leaned over the sweat-sheened body and lapped at one large droplet of spent seed, relishing the taste he had yearned for earlier. He looked back up into pleasure-sated eyes and crawled further up the bed before leaning over to capture the firm lips, wanting to share this gift he had been given. He deepened the kiss, tongues sliding and tasting as they possessed each other's mouths fully, learning every surface, every crevice through taste and touch.

Finally, Vin pulled back and gazed down into twinkling eyes. He slid to one side, leaving one hand trailing over the strongly muscled chest, his fingers trailing through the sparse golden hairs as he passed from nipple to nipple in long, smooth strokes.

"Hell, Larabee, even my dreams were never this good." Chris chuckled; his body arching into the gentle caress. "And it ain't over yet."

The laughter became a little sardonic.

"Is for now... ain't got the strength to go again for a while."

Vin grinned, leaning up on one elbow to look down into his lover's handsome face.

"Got something that should help you. recover a little faster."

He leaned over and snagged his coat, drawing a banana from the hidden pocket. Chris eyed the strange yellow object; a frown creasing his forehead.

"What in hell is that?"

"Called a banana. Met a friend of Josiah's who's growing these not far east of here."

Vin peeled back the yellow skin and handed the fruit to Chris, grinning when Chris licked at it tentatively, then swallowing hard at the erotic sight of Chris wrapping his lips around the thick creamy flesh. Chris realized what he was doing to Vin, his eyes glinting mischievously as he began to suck on the tasty fruit, thrusting it in and out of his mouth slowly.

"You're a damn tease, Larabee. You know it."

Chris bit into the soft flesh, taking off a chunk of banana and savored the new taste that filled his mouth. He swallowed and licked his lips.

"Not bad, Tanner. What did you say it was again?"

He played with the fruit again, not waiting for an answer, and grinned around the full mouthful of flesh as Vin's voice croaked out.

"Banana. Gonna find a lot of them where we're headed."

"Want some?"

"Hell, what I need is this..."

Vin grabbed the half-filled tumbler of Tequila and downed the contents before sloshing more into the glass. He shuddered as the second glass went down in a blast of raw heat, igniting a fire in the pit of his belly even as another smoldered in his groin. As he felt Chris's body begin to stir in response to his, Vin arched against Chris, rubbing his slowly filling shaft against his lover.

Chris grinned, casually discarding the yellow skin as he popped the last piece of banana into his mouth, and then he arched up, taking Vin's lips in a hard, open kiss as he shared that last mouthful of banana with Vin. He sank back down, his eyelids heavy with renewed desire; lips swollen from the hard kisses. He ran a hand along Vin's flank from armpit to thigh, his soft voice thick with growing passion.

"Don't know about you, Tanner, but I'm starting to feel real good about Mary and her damned newspaper."

Vin chuckled softly as he claimed the lips once more. He pulled back to nuzzle the slightly stubbled neck, enjoying the rough sensation against his bristled cheek.

"Me too, Cowboy. Me too."

THE END


End file.
